The present inventive subject matter relates generally to the art of image analysis. Particular but not exclusive relevance is found in connection with the analysis of images captured by red light and/or other traffic enforcement cameras. Accordingly, the present specification makes specific reference thereto. It is to be appreciated however that aspects of the present inventive subject matter are also equally amenable to other like applications.
For images captured with red light, traffic enforcement and/or other like automated and/or unattended cameras it is often desirable to detect a parametric curve (e.g., a straight line, ellipse, etc.) therein. For example, it may be desirable to detect and/or otherwise determine the location, length and/or orientation of a stop bar or line painted on a roadway at an intersection or other part of the roadway observed by the camera. However, straight lines or other parametric curves corresponding to such features in captured images under these circumstances may be obscured (e.g., due to insufficient lighting) or occluded (e.g., by an obstruction that may be stationary or moving such as a vehicle). Yet, the successful enforcement of penalties for traffic light violations often depends on capturing a violator inappropriately crossing the stop bar. Accordingly, it can be important to known the location of the stop bar in captured images, e.g., by automatically detecting a line in the captured images which corresponds to the stop bar.
Accordingly, a new and/or improved method, system and/or apparatus for detecting constrained parametric curves over a sequence of one or more images is disclosed which addresses the above-referenced problem(s) and/or others.